THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 18, 1997.
Will The
That statements attributed to the Premier regarding the Kra Canal appearing in the American journal "Asia" are emphatically denied by the Premier Colonel Phya Bahol in a letter to the Minister of
latest canard.
was
The Premier denies giving
interview on the subject of Asia article whatever.
any
Kra
Isthmus
Be Cut?
Of
growing interest in her newly deve- loped friendship with Siam? IF one learns that Siamese navy officers and cadets are trained aboard Japanese vessels, that Siam- ese army officers are.... going to Foreign Affairs was disclosed when fairs published a well documented cupy the vacant place of tutor. In Japanese schools instead of western the Foreign Minister
inter- article in September, 1936). It is line with this development, the ones, and that Japanese budget con- viewed at Bangkok regarding this obvious that this short cut would Siamese Consulate General at Sin- tains provisions for a proposed
mean the end of Singapore, which gapore, Siam's most important link Tokyo. built her fortunes on the assump- with the British Empire, was re- Bangkok airline, one cannot help the tion that there was only one door duced in 1984 to a mere consulate wondering as to the justification of between the Indian and the Pacific and the brother of the Siamese so close a co-operation for merely "The "interview" which appeared oceans. Either Bangkok or the new-Minister to Tokyo was installed as economic reasons. in an article entitled "Britain Faces canal port, on the other hand, the consul there. At Kobe and British quarters became rather Japan Across Siam" is reprinted would enter the ranks of the world's Nagoya, two new honorary consuls nervous when Commander Ohno, great harbours. The hinterland were appointed in March, 1935. until recently Japan's naval attache would be opened and a rich and A further connection was made at Bangkok, was said to have stat- powerful Siam would emerge. when the Japanese trade mission ed, "There is a considerable num- Seen from Japan, the advantages visited Siam in the spring of 1936. ber of protagonists in Siam of an Talk of a canal across the Isth- of a Kra canal would not be limited The Chairman of the group of ten Asiatic League, with Japan as its mas of Kra will not go down, even to a shorter and therefore cheaper business men was Mr. Yonosuk leader." This was shortly before though the first spade brought to way to the vast markets of India. Yasukawa, retired head of the Mit- the Japanese trade mission the Isthmus might well mean a There is also the strategic value- sui concern. Shortly after, a gov- gone to Siam. large-scale war. The article, the threat to Britain-provided of ernment railway order was award- Immediately after this successful "Siam, Pivot of Asia?" by Andrew course Japan financed the canal ed to the Mitsui Company. Mitsui visit, Stam's Foreign Minister, A. Freeman in the May, 1936, issue and made it virtually a Japanese has just finished a new office build- Luang Pradit Manudharm, felt im- of this magazine was criticised highway.
ing at Bangkok and now employs pelled to calm the growing nervous- twenty Japanese instead of the nesa abroad by a statement in which three or four employed heretofore. he denied that Siam favoured one The low buying power of the country above another and empha-
below:
A TANGIBLE IDEA
for giving prominence to the report
that Japan might finance the build- FEASIBILITY OF PROJECT
ing of such a canal. Authoritative
had
What
was the
spokesmen have denied that there Before considering the possible population, partly an outcome of sised Siam's friendly financial rela- is any basis for the rumour. Yet consequences of a step like this, we the autocratic misrule, has made tions with Britain. This statement, the fact remains that a Kra canal is should make it clear that the rum- low-priced Japanese commodities though it was read "with interest a very tangible idea, not a figment ours start from a wrong point. The particularly welcome in Siam. Ja and satisfaction in British official of the journalist's imagination.
assumption that the project in- panese exports to Siam were worth circles," missed the point. This was impressed upon me in a volves a huge expenditure and must Y18,000,000 in 1933; Y40,000,- worried Downing Street private interview on the canal ques- therefore be financed by a powder 000 in. 1935. The increase continu- projected Kra canal.. tion which I had with the Prime other than Siam does not hold true. ed through 1936. Before 1931, there Minister. Colonel Phya Bahol, The Isthmus of Kra is twenty-five Slam's strong man and hero of a miles wide. There are no rocks to half dozen revolutions. During blast through, requiring expensive this interview, which took place în equipment.
·THREAT TO BRITISH EMPIRE
а
-.
was not a single Japanese ship BRITAIN AWAKE calling regularly at Bangkok,
*
With the prospect of Japan trying To-day, four recently built, high- speed, six-thousand-ton Diesel boats to cut the neck of Singapore, Bri- the Paruskavan Palace at Bangkok The canal region consists of soft of the Mitsui line and three 0.S.K. tain rushed to keep the "balance of Phya Bahol developed the idea of alluvial soil. The water level on steamers operate a fortnightly ser power on the Isthmus of Kra. A an international committee, com- both sides of the Isthmus is the vice between Japan and Bangkok, revision of the British-Siamese posed of the chief powers interest- same; no locks are necessary. La- Business was so good that both treaty relations is reported to be ed in shipping in that part of the bour is cheap; conscript labour O.S.K. and Mitsui raised the under way. It might be too late, world. Siam, he stated, would be might even be used. Siam could freight rate on
general goods ten though Japan's Pan-Asia doctrine ready to cede, a neutral canal zone finance a canal without foreign aid. per cent. on December 1, 1935.
and the appeal of Buddhist relation- to such a committee, provided the The reason why it has not as yet
ship may finally outflank the British interested powers would be willing done so, is obvious: Siam would JAPANESE EXPLOITATION
financial advisers. and able to guarantee, in turn, the scarcely care to offend Britain,
The tremendous strategic impor- lasting neutrality of Siam.
which controls, the western end of What this development means for tance of Siam for the domination It hardly seems from this that the proposed canal.
the British, especially for the Lan- of Southeast Asia was never so ob- Siam regards the building
Until very recently Siam has been cashire export trade, is shown in -vious of
The this moment. 'asat canal as preposterous or even un- a sphere of British influence. Bri- the following figures (one baht Japanese-German pact with its re- feasible, provided the circumstances tish advisers in vital state depart- equals U.S. 0.45 dollars). Imports ported secret clause aiming at the are favourable. But Siam has no ments decided Siam's policy. King from Singapore plus imports from division of the Netherlands Indies desire to become the theatre of a Prajadhipok, who ruled up to 1932 the United Kingdom were worth into spheres of German and Japan- British-Japanese conflict.
as an absolute monarch, was con- 23,500,000 bahts in 1983-1984 as ese influence shows the direction of sidered because of his definitely compared to 14,600,000 from Japan; Japan's southern expansion. A pro-British attitude, as the most in 1934-1985 the figures were base in Siam offers excellent facili- solid guarantee for the continua- 25,400,000 for the British, 21,100,- ties to jump on the Netherlands In- What are the facts about a pro- tion of this state of affairs. But the 000 for the Japanese. Sixty-five dies and also attack Singapore, jected shipping canal across the coup d'etat of 1992, transforming per cent, of the Japanese goods sent which is supposed to project the Isthmus of Kra-a rumour or pos- the absolute monarchy into a con- into Siam are cotton textiles. Dutch colonies, from the rear. The gibility which has been viewed with stitutional one, marked the begin- On March 21, 1936, the Siamese true significance of Siam reveals it- alarm in British quarters? Such a ning of the decline of Anglo-Siam- government promulgated a new self, however, in connection with canal, constructed via the Pakdham ese friendship. A series of coups tariff, marked by a general reduc- the canal project. River emptying into the Bay of d'etat followed.
It must be viewed with deep re- Bengál, and across the narrow Finally the King went to Europe. Although the balance of trade is gret that a peaceful neutralising Isthmus to the Gulf of Siam, would. Whether the constitutional People's still overwhelmingly in favour of plan such as Prime Minister Phya be strategically important because Party, which was
victorious Japan (Siamese exports to Japan Bahol suggests has no chance to be it would open another door from through those revolutions, has or in 1985 totalled Y5,500,000) there realised. The projected canal of the Pacific into the Indian Ocean. had at any time anti-British feel- is a prospect of its compensation by Kra is one of the most reasonable If the Japanese dominated the ings, cannot be decided. However, a large-scale exploitation of Siam's schemes ever brought forward to canal, they would be enabled ti to sia told during my recent visit natural resources, such as rubber, facilitate the trade and trame of threaten the very heart of the Bri- to Siam, that the King's expenses
teakwood. A number of the world. Political jealousy tish Empire.
for the salaries of his British ad- Japanese cotton experts arried in should not prevent its realisation. On the other hand it may not be visers were creating discontent Siam recently and a Japanese pro- The question might be asked, Whe- generally realised that the southern among the heavily taxed popula- fessor of agricultural economics ther British policy is right in block- end of Burma would be part of the tion.
is being employed. Within the past ing the way instead of opening it. northern bank of the canal. Here The British policy has been a four years, Siam's cotton production Here, too, the German-Japaasse on Victoria Point, Britain already mistaken one. When King Prajad- was trebled.
understanding throws a new light There were has an airport, over-looking the hipok, in 1934, went to England, he⠀
two hundred and on the problem. Phya Bahol is a western entrance to the canal. The is reliably understood to have ask- eighty-five Japanese in Siam In graduate of the Prussian Military little island of St. Matthew, which ed for a couple of British gunboats 1919. The number increased only Academy at Berlin-Lihterfelde. He dominates this entrance,
is
also for his return to Siam. Great Bri- by ten up to 1929. It is now esti- is a classmate of General Goering. British. The canal would lie ac- tain missed this last chance to keep mated by Japanese sources at one A situation may arise when a com- tually within the range of British Siam in vassalage. The King did thousand. The Japanese în Siam, bination of powers exclusive of Bri-
not return and Siam has come of however, are not permanent set- tain forces the door open. guna.
The advantages of a Kra canal in age.
tlers. Most of them represent Ja- sent the away of western countries cutting the trade route between BRITISH INFLUENCE WANING
panese firms. Siam has never been may still balance Japan's prestige. Europe of India and the Far East. And so the British influence has considered as a potential outlet for In the meantime British millions by two to four days have been fre- been dwindling rapidly while Japan Japan's excess population.
are pouring into the defences of quently enumerated. (Pacifle Af- has made successful efforts to oc- What, then, is behind - Japan's. Singapore.
tion,
عليم
At pre-